A Familiar Face

All four of you turn to look at the newcomer stepping round Anissa and into the kitchen. It’s Krystal, dressed much more conservatively than she was in the Drowned Guppy. Her grey jumper still reveals a hint of cleavage, but nowhere as much as her red V-neck had. She’s wearing grey trousers instead of a short skirt, that accentuates her ass and wide hips.

“Mr Smith, Krystal Horne, IT.” She says it with a smirk, as if you don’t know who she is. “I’ve got your login details for the school network here.” She raises a small folder. “Also, in here are the network code of conduct which you need to sign and return to me by the end of the day.”

“Hard copy, Krystal, really?” you ask her.

“Tell me about it, part of letting old ladies run this school. They’re still doing things like it’s the 20th Century.” She rolls her eyes as you speak, and you can’t help but smile at her reaction.

“If you need any help with anything in here, or actually anything IT related, don’t hesitate to ask,” she continues. “If I’m not here, in the staff room, my office is next to my classroom,” and she tells you how to reach her classroom. You wouldn’t be able to follow her directions, but the school did provide you with a map. “And my phone number is in the folder as well. I’ll help with any IT issue, here or at home.”

She gives you a big smile as she says the last line, and she’s about to say more, when she’s interrupted by the arrival of another woman.

“Hurry up, slowcoach. I’m not saving you a seat,” this newcomer addresses Krystal before she notices you. She’s a tall woman, taller than you, with long, dirty brown hair in a ponytail. She’s wearing a tight, athletic top that accentuates her large breasts, and a pair of tight shorts that show off her long, smooth, long legs. Her blue eyes look you up and down as if you were a slice of meat before she speaks again. “You must be the new History teacher. Blair Speed, Sports.”

She offers you her hand and you shake it while you introduce yourself. She then quickly ushers the shorter Krystal out of the kitchen and back into the main room, both waving goodbye. You see Anissa shiver as they leave.

“You know Krystal?” Abigail asks after they’ve gone.

“I ran into her in the Drowned Guppy,” you reply. The three women nod knowingly when you mention the pub.

“She’s always in the Drowned Guppy,” Abigail states.

“Chasing men,” Anissa adds with disapproval as thick as her accent.

“You should try it someday, Ani,” Spencer tells her friend with a wink, which gets a glare from Anissa followed by “Sex outside marriage is immoral.”

This appears to be a common argument the three women have, because Anissa’s statement elicits only knowing looks between Spencer and Abigail. To break up any argument Abigail interjects.

“Come on, let’s get back into the room. Blair has one thing right, there aren’t enough chairs for all of us. So, if we want to sit through the Doctor’s drone, we need to claim some.”

Most of the chairs are already taken. Abigail and Anissa manage to grab a couple near the back, but you and Spencer are **** to stand. That’s fine by you. You’re able to prop yourself against the wall.

Just in time as the headmistress enters. She’s not changed from your interview; she could even be wearing the same clothes. Behind her comes the receptionist, Layla, her arms burdened with a sheaf of paper. Both women appraise the room.

“Are we all here?” Dr Stricture asks. There are mumbles of agreement from the room. But the Doctor doesn’t do anything until Layla’s brown eyes have swept the room completely, spending longest on you, a darkening of gaze as they linger.

“What did you do to annoy Layla?” Spencer whispers as the gaze finally breaks away.

“No idea,” you reply.

“We’re all here.”

Layla’s announcement is definitive and is the cue for the headmistress to start her speech.